The present invention relates to a structure of arranging an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus for an automotive vehicle which expands a bag, which is housed along a front pillar portion and a roof side rail portion in a folded state, toward an inner side of a vehicle cabin in a side portion of a vehicle body in a curtain manner by a gas injected from an inflator at a time when a predetermined high load is applied to the side portion of the vehicle body.
There has been already proposed an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus which expands a bag, which is housed between a front pillar portion and a roof side rail portion in a folded manner along a window glass in a curtain manner, so as to improve a protecting performance for a head portion of the vehicle occupant at a time when a predetermined high load is applied to the side portion of the vehicle body. A structure shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-227340 which discloses an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus of this kind will be described below.
As shown in FIG. 55, an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus 700 is mainly structured by a sensor 702 for detecting a predetermined state of application of high load to a side portion of a vehicle body, an inflator 704 operated by the high load application state detected by the sensor 702 and injecting a gas, and an elongated bag 712 arranged from an upper end portion of a front pillar 706 along a roof side rail 708 and housed within a pillar garnish 710 of the front pillar 706 in a folded state. A front end portion of the bag 712 is connected to an upper end portion of the inflator 704, and a rear end portion of the bag 712 is positioned at a front portion of a center pillar 714.
In accordance with the structure described above, when a side collision is detected by the sensor 702, the inflator 704 is operated so as to inject the gas. Accordingly, the injected gas is supplied to the interior of the bag 712, and the pillar garnish 710 unfolds due to the an expanding pressure of the bag 712. As a result, the bag 712 which is expanding in a curtain manner is interposed between the head portion of the vehicle occupant and the side surface of the vehicle cabin.
However, in the case of the vehicle occupant protecting apparatus 700 mentioned above, there is the possibility that at a time when the bag 712 expands, the pillar garnish 710 of the front pillar 706 may break and be scattered, or the pillar garnish 710 may separate from the front pillar 706 and scatter.
The present invention has been made by taking the facts mentioned above into consideration, and an object of the present invention is to provide a structure of arranging an vehicle occupant protecting apparatus for an automotive vehicle which can prevent a pillar garnish of a pillar portion from scattering at a time when a bag is expanded.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a structure of arranging a vehicle occupant protecting apparatus for an automotive vehicle comprising:
an inflator disposed at a predetermined region of a vehicle body and jetting a gas at a time of a side collision;
a bag housed between a front pillar portion and a roof side rail portion in a folded manner, and expanded in a curtain manner to beneath the roof side rail portion within a vehicle cabin by the gas supplied from said inflator;
a pillar garnish which is formed by a trim member disposed at a vehicle cabin inner side of the front pillar portion, and which extends out along a longitudinal direction of the front pillar portion so as to cover a portion of said bag housed in the front pillar portion, an opening for expansion of said bag being formed in said pillar garnish by an expanding pressure when said bag expands; and
scatter preventing means provided at at least one of said pillar garnish and said bag so as to prevent said pillar garnish from scattering at a time when said bag expands.
In accordance with this aspect, when a side collision occurs, the gas jetted from the inflator. Accordingly, the bag housed between the front pillar portion and the roof side rail portion in a folded state expands out to beneath the roof side rail portion within the vehicle cabin in a curtain manner. Therefore, the bag is interposed between the side portion of the vehicle body and the head portion of the vehicle occupant, so that the head portion of the vehicle occupant is protected.
Here, in accordance with this aspect, since the scatter preventing means is provided in at least one of the pillar garnish and the bag, the pillar garnish is prevented from being scattered by an expanding pressure at a time when the bag expands.
In accordance with a second aspect, in the first aspect, the scatter preventing means is a non-expanding portion of the bag which is positioned at a region corresponding to the pillar garnish at a time when the bag expands.
In accordance with this aspect, in the bag, the non-expanding portion is provided at the region corresponding to the pillar garnish at a time when the bag expands. Therefore, the non-expanding portion is positioned within the pillar garnish in a state in which the bag has expanded, and the portion at which the non-expanding portion is not provided is positioned out of the pillar garnish as an expanding portion. Accordingly, a pressing load acting on the pillar garnish can be reduced to the extent that the pressing load does not act on the pillar garnish from the non-expanding portion, in comparison with a case of using a bag having no non-expanding portion. The pillar garnish can be prevented from being scattered by reducing the pressing load.
In accordance with a third aspect, in the first aspect, the scatter preventing means is an unfolding portion which is provided at the pillar garnish and is capable of unfolding such that an opening for an expansion of the bag is formed around an intermediate portion in a widthwise direction of the pillar garnish.
In accordance with this aspect, since the unfolding portion capable of unfolding around the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction of the pillar garnish is provided, the pillar garnish is unfolded around the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction thereof at a time when the bag expands. Accordingly, by forming the pillar garnish in advance to be capable of unfolding around the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction thereof, the operating load against the pillar garnish due to the bag expanding pressure can be avoided, so that concentration of excess stress at the pillar garnish is prevented. The pillar garnish can be prevented from scattering by preventing the concentration of excess stress.
In accordance with a fourth aspect, in the third aspect, the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction of the pillar garnish is a weakened portion.
In accordance with this aspect, since the weakened portion is provided at the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction of the pillar garnish, the pillar garnish can be easily unfolded with the weakened portion as the starting point of unfolding.
In accordance with a fifth aspect, in the third aspect, the unfolding portion is made thinner than the other portions of the pillar garnish.
In accordance with this aspect, since the unfolding portion is made thinner than the other portions of the pillar garnish, the rigidity of this thin portion is lower than that of the other portions. Accordingly, the thin portion can be elastically deformed with ease and unfolded.
In accordance with a sixth aspect, in the third aspect, said pillar garnish is formed so as to include a base member, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin outer side, and an outer skin, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin inner side of the base member, and
the base member is formed by a resin which is softer at one widthwise direction side of the pillar garnish widthwise direction intermediate portion than at the other widthwise direction side, the one widthwise direction side is the unfolding portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish is formed so as to include the base member, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin outer side, and the outer skin, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin inner side of the base member. Further, the portion positioned at one widthwise direction side (the bag housing portion in the pillar garnish) of the intermediate portion in the widthwise direction of the pillar garnish is made of a resin softer than the base member which is positioned at the widthwise direction other side of the pillar garnish (the portion other than the bag housing portion in the pillar garnish). Therefore, the portion at the one widthwise direction side has a rigidity lower than that of the portion at the other widthwise direction side. Accordingly, when the bag expand, the portion at the one widthwise direction side is elastically deformed with ease and unfolded.
In accordance with a seventh aspect, in the third aspect, said pillar garnish is formed so as to include a base member, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin outer side, and an outer skin, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin inner side of the base member, and
the base member is separated into a first portion fixed to a pillar main body of the front pillar portion and a second portion forming the opening for expansion of said bag at a time when said bag expands, the first portion and the second portion are connected by a intermediate member interposed between the outer skins or the outer skin and the base member, and said second portion is made the unfolding portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish is formed so as to include the base member, which is positioned at the vehicle cabin outer side, and the outer skin, which is positioned at the vehicle cabin inner side of the base member. Further, the base member of the pillar garnish is separated into the first portion (the base portion) fixed to the front pillar and the second portion (the bag housing portion housing the bag front portion). Both are connected by the outer skin or the intermediate member interposed between the outer skins. Therefore, the separating position between the first portion and the second portion is the starting point of unfolding. Accordingly, when the bag expand, the second portion is extremely easily-unfolded, with the outer skin or the intermediate member positioned at the separating position saving a hinge.
In accordance with an eighth aspect, in the third aspect, said pillar garnish is formed so as to include a base member, said pillar garnish is separated into a base portion, which is fixed to a pillar main body of the front pillar portion, and a bag housing portion, which houses said bag, and
a front end portion of the bag housing portion is fixed to the pillar main body, a bag unfolding starting point region provided at the bag housing portion is a weakened portion, and a portion between said weakened portion and a widthwise direction end portion of the housing portion in which the opening for expansion of said bag is formed is the unfolding portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish is formed so as to include the member, and the pillar garnish is separated into the base portion fixed to the pillar main body and the bag housing portion in which the bag is housed. Further, the front end portion of the bag housing portion is fixed to the pillar main body and the weakened portion is provided at the region of the starting of unfolding of the bag housing portion. Therefore, when the bag expands, the bag housing portion of the pillar garnish can be easily unfolded, with the weakened portion of the development starting region being a start point, while the unfolding load is supported at the fixed region of the front end portion to the pillar main body.
In accordance with a ninth aspect, in the third aspect, said pillar garnish is formed so as to include a base member, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin outer side, and an outer skin, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin inner side of the base member, and
a whole of the base member is formed by a soft material, whereby the unfolding portion is formed.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish is formed so as to include the base member, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin outer side, and the outer skin, which is positioned at a vehicle cabin inner side of the base member. Further, the whole of the base member is formed by a soft material. Therefore, the base member can be elastically deformed with ease. Accordingly, when the bag expands, the portion pressed by the expanding pressure of the bag in the pillar garnish can be elastically deformed with no trouble and can be easily unfolded.
In accordance with a tenth aspect, in the first aspect, said scatter preventing means is mounted to said pillar garnish along the longitudinal direction thereof, and is provided with extending portions respectively extending from both longitudinal direction end portions of said pillar garnish, and the extending portions are formed by a band-like strap fixed to a pillar main body of the front pillar portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the band-like strap is mounted to the pillar garnish. The strap extending portions of the strap, which respectively extend from the both longitudinal direction end portions (the upper and lower end portions) of the pillar garnish are fixed to the pillar main body of the front pillar portion. Therefore, the supporting strength of the pillar garnish with respect to the pillar main body is increased. Accordingly, even when a fixing device for fixing the pillar garnish to the pillar main body is out of place, the pillar garnish is securely supported to the pillar main body by a tensile force of the strap.
In accordance with an eleventh aspect, in the first aspect, said scatter preventing means has a predetermined strength, and is mounted to said pillar garnish along a surface thereof, and is provided with extending portions respectively extending from both longitudinal direction end portions of said pillar garnish, and the extending portions are formed by a net fixed to a pillar main body of the front pillar portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the net having a predetermined strength is mounted to the pillar garnish along the surface direction thereof. The extending portions(the end portions), which extend from the pillar garnish in the net, are fixed to the pillar main body. Therefore, the supporting strength of the pillar garnish with respect to the pillar main body is increased. Accordingly, even when the fixing device for fixing the pillar garnish to the pillar main body is out of place, the pillar garnish is securely supported to the pillar main body by a tensile force of the net.
In accordance with a twelfth aspect, in the first aspect, said scatter preventing means has an extending portion provided at said pillar garnish and extending forward a window shield glass and fixed to a body of a pillar main body of the front pillar portion, and said scatter preventing means has a hinge portion provided at said pillar garnish so as to form the opening for expansion of said bag.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish is structured such that when the bag expands, the extending portion of the pillar garnish is supported at the pillar main body of the front pillar portion and is unfolded toward the window shield glass with the hinge portion as the center of unfolding. As mentioned above, the pillar garnish is easily unfolded by the expanding pressure of the bag, so that the scattering thereof is prevented.
In accordance with a thirteenth aspect, in the first aspect, said pillar garnish is disposed so as to be separated from a pillar main body of the front pillar portion by a predetermined distance toward a vehicle cabin inner side, and
said scatter preventing means is provided with bridges , which are provided in vicinities of both longitudinal direction end portions at the reverse surface of said pillar garnish, and a strap, which connects said bridges and a predetermined region of said pillar main body and which has a distance longer than a distance between each of said bridges and the predetermined region.
In accordance with this aspect, the bridges are respectively provided in vicinities of the longitudinal direction end portions (two portions, the upper and lower portions) at the reverse surface of the pillar garnish. Each of the bridges and a predetermined region of the pillar main body are connected by using the strap which is longer than a distance between both portions. Therefore, when the pillar garnish is pressed toward the inner side of the vehicle cabin due to an expansion of the bag, although the pillar garnish is apart from the pillar main body, the pillar garnish does not come free from the pillar main body since the pillar garnish and the pillar main body are connected by the strap disposed in the vicinities of both end portions. As mentioned above, since the pillar garnish is apart from the pillar main body due to the expanding pressure due to the expansion of the bag, the expanding pressure acting on the pillar garnish is avoided, so that the pillar garnish is prevented from scattering.
In this case, the separating motion of the pillar garnish from the pillar main body is restricted at a time when the strap is extended.
In accordance with a fourteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, the strap is wound around the bridge, and a recess portion for centering a wound portion of the strap around the bridge is provided at an end portion of the bridge which a region from to which a load is directly applied to the bridge from the wound portion of the strap around the bridge when said bag expands.
In accordance with this aspect, the strap is wound around the bridge, and the recess portion for centering the wound portion is provided at the end portion of the bridge which is a region to which the load is directly applied to the bridge from the wound portion of the strap due to the expansion of the bag. Therefore, the wound portion of the strap is biased to a center portion by the centering recess portion of the bridge at a time when the bag expands. Accordingly, in accordance with this aspect, even when the bag expands and torsion is generated in the pillar garnish which is apart from the pillar main body, the wound portion of the strap is not biased to a corner portion of the end portion of the bridge, so that the wound portion of the strap is always held at the center portion of the end portion of the bridge.
In accordance with a fifteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, the strap is wound around the bridge, and at least one opening for absorbing an energy is provided in a vicinity of an end portion of the bridge which is a region to which a load is directly applied to the bridge from a wound portion of the strap around the bridge when said bag expands.
In accordance with this aspect, the strap is wound around the bridge, and at least one opening for absorbing an energy is provided in a vicinity of the end portion of the bridge which is a region to which the load is directly applied to the bridge from the wound portion of the strap when the bag expands. Therefore, the load acting on the bridge end portion at a time when the bag expands can be absorbed by the breaking of a peripheral portion of the opening.
In accordance with a sixteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, the strap is wound around the bridge, and a recess portion for centering a wound portion of the strap around the bridge is provided at an end portion of the bridge which a region from to which a load is directly applied to the bridge from the wound portion of the strap around the bridge when said bag expands.
In accordance with this aspect, in the structure in which the strap is wound around the bridge, the bridge is layered in plural stages, and the wound portion of the strap is divided into plural portions in accordance with the number of stages of the bridge. The divisional wound portions are wound around the respective bridges. Therefore, the load acting on the bridge from the wound portion of the strap at a time when the bag expands is diffused to the respective bridge portions through the respective divisional portions.
In accordance with a seventeenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, amounting seat of a temporarily fixing means, for temporarily fixing said pillar garnish to a pillar main body of the front pillar portion, is integrally provided at a region of the bridge opposing the opposing pillar main body of the front pillar portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the mounting seat of the temporarily fixing means for temporarily fixing the pillar garnish to the pillar main body is integrally provided at a region of the bridge opposing the pillar main body. Therefore, the structure can be made simple in comparison with a case in which the mounting seat of the temporarily fixing means for temporarily fixing the pillar garnish to the pillar main body is provided independently and separately from the bridge.
In accordance with a eighteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, an engaging member capable of engaging with the bridge is mounted to an end portion of the strap, and the engaging member is engaged with the bridge so that the one end portion of the strap and the pillar garnish are connected to each other.
In accordance with this aspect, the engaging member capable of engaging with the bridge is mounted to the one end portion of the strap, and the one end portion of the strap and the pillar garnish are connected to each other due to the engaging member being engaged with the bridge. Therefore, the other end portion of the strap can be fixed in advance to the pillar main body, and the engaging member mounted to the one end portion of the strap can be engaged with the bridge at a time of assembling the pillar garnish.
In accordance with a nineteenth aspect, in the first aspect, the pillar garnish includes at least a base member, and the scatter preventing means is the base member which is formed by a non-break material, and
there are further provided a fixing member for directly fixing the base member to the pillar main body of the front pillar portion, and a cap which is mounted to a recess portion formed on a design surface of the pillar garnish and which covers a head portion of the fixing member.
In accordance with this aspect, since the base member of the pillar garnish is formed by the non-break material, the pillar garnish is not easily deformed and broken when the bag expands. Accordingly, the pillar garnish is not scattered due to the expanding pressure at a time when the bag expands. Further, since the pillar garnish is directly fixed to the pillar main body by the fixing member, the pillar garnish is prevented from being out of place from the pillar main body.
In accordance with a twentieth aspect, in the nineteenth aspect, fall-out preventing means for connecting the cap to the base member is further provided.
In accordance with this aspect, even in the case that the cap is out of place from the pillar garnish when the bag is expands, the cap can be prevented from falling out from the garnish by the fallout preventing means which connects the cap to the base member of the pillar garnish.
In accordance with a twenty-first aspect, in the first aspect, said pillar garnish includes at least a base member, and said scatter preventing means is formed by the base member which is formed by a non-break material, engaging means for engaging the base member with a pillar main body of the front pillar portion, and an engagement force increasing portion provided at the engaging means and enabling deformation of said pillar garnish in a direction in which engagement between the base member and the pillar main body of the front pillar portion strengthened when said bag expand.
In accordance with this aspect, the pillar garnish can be easily mounted to the pillar main body by engaging the base member of the pillar garnish with the pillar main body by the engaging means. Further, since the pillar garnish is formed by the non-break material, the pillar garnish is not easily deformed and broken when the bag is expands. Still further, when the bag expands, the pillar garnish in deformed in the direction in which the engagement between the pillar garnish and the pillar main body is strengthened by the engagement force increasing portion provided in the engaging means. Thus, the pillar garnish can be prevented from coming out of place.
In accordance with a twenty-second aspect, in the first aspect, the scatter preventing means comprises:
engaging and attaching means for engaging and attaching said pillar garnish and a pillar main body of the front pillar portion in such a manner that said pillar garnish can come out of place from the pillar main body of the front pillar portion;
a bridge provided on at a reverse surface of said pillar garnish and having a guide hole extending through in a longitudinal direction of the front pillar portion; and
a strap inserted through the guide hole so as to be supported by said pillar garnish, both longitudinal direction end portions of the strap being fixed to the pillar main body of the front pillar portion, and the strap being set to a length of forming said bag projecting opening when said bag is expands and the engagement and attachment between the pillar garnish and said pillar main body of the front pillar portion is released.
In accordance with a twenty-third aspect, in the twenty-second aspect, the bridge is provided in vicinities of both end portions and in a vicinity of a longitudinal direction center portion along the longitudinal direction of said pillar garnish.
In accordance with the twenty-second aspect, when the strap is inserted into the guide hole of the bridge, the both ends of the strap are fastened to the pillar main body in such a manner as to cover the folded and housed bag. Next, by engaging and attaching the engaging and attaching means, the pillar garnish can be mounted to the pillar main body.
Then, after mounting, when the bag expands, the pillar garnish is pushed by the bag, the engagement and attachment of the engaging and attaching means is released, the pillar garnish separates from the pillar main body, and the bag protrudes (expands) from the separated opening.
At this time, even when the bag protrudes, the pillar garnish is connected and held to the strap which has a length which can form the opening which allows the bag to protrude. Therefore, the pillar garnish can be prevented from being scattered.
Further, the strap is structured so as to have a length with leeway which allows formation of the opening through which the bag protrudes, which length is different than a length needed only for mounting the pillar garnish to the pillar main body. Therefore, the fastening operation can be simply performed by moving the pillar garnish in such manner as to shift from fastening portion or the like at a time of inserting the strap into the guide hole of the bridge and fastening the both ends of the strap to the pillar main body at vicinities of both ends of the pillar garnish in such a manner as to cover the folded and housed air bag. Since the shifting distance can be changed for a distance about twice the opening dimension, the fastening operation of the strap can be even more smoothly performed, so that it is easy to mount the pillar garnish to the pillar main body.
Accordingly, in the twenty-second aspect described above, even in the case of the structure in which the pillar garnish comes out of place from the pillar main body when the bag expands, the mounting operation can be easily performed.
Further, as in the case of the twenty-third aspect, when the bridge through which the strap is inserted are disposed at vicinities of both ends and at a vicinity of the center of the rear surface side of the pillar garnish, the stress can be dispersed when the pillar garnish is pushed by the bag while being held by the strap at a time the bag expands. Thus, the connecting strength between the strap and the pillar garnish can be improved.
In accordance with a twenty-fourth aspect, in the first aspect, said scatter preventing means is provided with a strap whose longitudinal direction center portion is integrally formed with said pillar garnish along a longitudinal direction of said pillar garnish and whose both longitudinal direction end portions are apart from said pillar garnish and are fixed to a pillar main body of a front pillar portion, and
the structure of arranging a vehicle vehicle occupant protecting apparatus for an automotive vehicle further comprises:
an inserting portion formed in a vehicle front side end portion of said pillar garnish;
an opening portion formed in an insert of an instrument panel and into which said inserting portion is inserted; and
an engaging portion formed at said inserting portion, and due to said engaging portion engaging with an edge portion of said opening portion, said pillar garnish can be temporarily placed at a tilted position at which said pillar garnish is tilted at a predetermined angle from a normal assembly position and an extending portion of the strap can be fixed to the pillar main body of the front portion.
In accordance with this aspect, the engaging portion, which is formed in the inserting portion of the vehicle front side end portion (the lower portion) of the pillar garnish, catches on the edge portion of the opening portion in the insert of the instrument panel. The pillar garnish is temporarily placed at the inclined position at which the pillar garnish is inclined at a predetermined angle from the normal assembly position. In this inclined state, the both longitudinal direction end portions (the extending portions) of the strap are fixed to the pillar main body in the pillar inner panel or the like. As a result, by changing the shape of the simple pillar garnish in which the insertion portion having the engaging portion is formed at a lower portion of the pillar, at the time of assembly, a worker need not hold the pillar garnish with one hand in a vicinity of an assembly position of the front pillar. The worker can fix the extending portion of the strap to the pillar main body by means of a bolt or the like by both hands therefore, the assembly workability of the pillar garnish can be improved.